


Duties

by Deviant_Accumulation



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt Obi-Wan, Hurt/Comfort, I'm lying there's not that much comfort in there, I'm very bitter about that, Id Fic, also if you like Anakin you may not want to read this he gets the short stick here once again, i hate how in fanfics taking care is always something forced on other people, so I wrote my own fic, without them ever getting asked why they are struggling or how they could best be helped
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-18
Updated: 2018-05-18
Packaged: 2019-05-08 17:42:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14699163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deviant_Accumulation/pseuds/Deviant_Accumulation
Summary: Obi-Wan is overworking himself, again. Luckily for him, Anakin is here to help, because obviously his old master doesn't know how to take care of himself despite supposedly being an adult.After all, what other reason for not getting sleep, besides being ridiculously fussy about paperwork, could the man possibly have?





	Duties

**Author's Note:**

> While I love hurt/comfort, reading most of what I find usually turns my stomach because I feel like many narratives rely on victim-blaming, people being condescending to people on verge of a mental breakdown, and just general lack of healthy approach to communication. Now, I'm aware that fandom works are not meant to be seen as guidelines on how to do real life mental health work, but I still find it very grating, so here's a fic I wrote to get some of those feelings I have about those fandom tropes out.
> 
> Also, this originally started as a post in case anyone is curious or may recognize some parts of it: http://deviantaccumulation.tumblr.com/post/154412352607/okay-but-i-want-a-fic-where-anakin-gets-on-the-oh  
> Was originally planned as more than a oneshot, but I forgot about large parts of what I wanted to do, plus having an actual ending can also be nice.  
> The final product is dedicated to the people who reblogged/retagged/replied to that post, if that's you imagine me doing fingerguns towards you.

“Snips?” Anakin called out into the empty room. He had just returned from his holo comm call with Padmé – courtesy of Artoo’s excellent long range transmitters – and meant to spar a bit with his padawan before they both went to sleep, but she seemed to have snuck off without him.

“Hey master,” a voice says from behind him, and he turns around to see his wayward padawan slip into the room.

“And where have you been?” Anakin asks, trying for a disapproving glare. Ashoka just raised an eyebrow at him, looking unimpressed. Younglings these days.

“As you were taking so long with your super important call to the Senate,” Ahsoka said, adding an entirely unnecessary emphasis on the last two words, “I went to visit Master Obi-Wan.”

“Did you train with him then?” Anakin asked, aware that Obi-Wan had more experience with Jar’Kai than he did, even though it was not his primary style.

“What? No,” Ahsoka said, frowning at him. “He was swamped with work; but he did help me out a bit with my homework on Outer Rim politics. Besides even if he had offered, I would have rather told him to get some more sleep, he looked really tired.”

Now it was Anakin’s turn to frown. This wasn’t the first time he had heard someone remark how tired Obi-Wan looked lately. His master had always been a bit of a workaholic, but he seemed to have lost his restraints ever since Geonosis. The man just didn’t know how to take a break anymore! Usually it wouldn’t be Anakin’s business, but if Obi-Wan didn’t even take the time anymore to help his own grandpadawan… plus he was setting a really bad example with his irresponsible behavior.

His mind made up, Anakin abruptly turned, making for the door.

“Where are you going, master?” Ahsoka asked.

“To visit Obi-Wan.”

“But I just told you he was busy!” Ashoka exclaimed.

“And that’s exactly why I’m going!” Anakin said, closing the door behind him before his padawan could continue.

 _Busy! Ha, as if!_ Anakin thought as he strode through the hallways of the star destroyer. If asked Obi-Wan would always say he was busy, but no man could possibly so busy that he wouldn’t be able to get in enough sleep per day, unless of course they were in an active war zone. And as they weren’t, there was no reason why he couldn’t drag his former master away from his apparently so beloved paperwork. He hardly needed to take so much time just for signing a few forms, or whatever it was he was doing now.

Coming to a halt before the door to Obi-Wan’s office – why ever the Jedi would need an office anyway, he knocked.

“Come in,” came Obi-Wan’s muffled voice from within, and Anakin opened the door.

Obi-Wan was sitting behind his desk, a piece of flimsiplast in one hand and a mug in the other. His usually perfect posture was… still pretty much perfect for an outward observer, but Anakin saw the slight slump in his shoulders, how he was leaning forwards a bit, which for Obi-Wan was the equivalent to a normal man’s slumping over. His hair looked frazzled, like he had been running his hand through it a few times too many. When he looked up Anakin could see the shadows under his eyes, the stress lines on his face that made him look older than he was, and the skin that was just a touch paler than it should be.

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan said when he recognized his visitor, a small smile stretching over his face. “What brings you here?”

“I need you to come with me,” Anakin said, putting on his best serious-jedi expression.

Obi-Wan’s face creased in a worried frown. “Did something happen?” he asked, standing up.

“What? No, no, I just-“ Urgh, bad start. “Nothing official, just… private. Things. Just us, spending some time in our rooms?”

“Ah,” Obi-Wan said, seeming surprised even as his tense frame relaxed. Then he sighed, looking a bit sad. “Look, Anakin, I’d really love to spend time with you, but right now is just… not possible. But perhaps tomorrow we could do something together, if you’re still up for it?”

“Because you’re busy right now?” Anakin asked, frowning.

“Yes,” Obi-Wan said, looking relieved. “I’m glad you understand, it’s really not you, there’s just so much I still need to do-“

“You shouldn’t be working so much,” Anakin said.

Obi-Wan let out a humorless chuckle. “There’s not really a choice I’m afraid.”

“Of course there is!” Anakin said vehemently.

Obi-Wan looked at him, puzzled. “No? There isn’t?” he said slowly, the way you’d talk to a youngling who didn’t understand some simple explanation.

So, still in denial then. But that was fine, Anakin could work with that.

“Ahsoka told me she came to visit you,” Anakin said.

Obi-Wan seemed taken aback for a moment by the sudden change in topic, but then relieved to let the subject drop. Not that Anakin really intended to let the subject go that easily.

“Yes, she did,” Obi-Wan said, then smiled. “She brought me tea, actually. She’s really beginning to grow into a fine woman, isn’t she?”

“She also told me that you sent her away because you were ‘busy’,” Anakin prodded.

Obi-Wan winced. “I didn’t _say_ that to her,” he said in the way he’d always tell half-truths, looking a bit guilty.

“Don’t you think you should make some time for your own grand-padawan?” Anakin asked, crossing his arms before his chest.

“I do _try_ ,” Obi-Wan said.

“Well, obviously you’re not trying enough!” Anakin said curtly. For a moment hurt flashed over Obi-Wan’s face, then it closed off.

“What would you have me do, Anakin?” he asked, his voice flat. “Just drop everything?”

“Yes!” Anakin said.

Obi-Wan stared at him, before resting his head in his hands, letting out a humorless chuckle.

“What?” Anakin asked, irritated.

“You really think it’s that simple, don’t you?” Obi-Wan said, something in his tone that Anakin couldn’t identify.

“You are the one who is making everything complicated!” Anakin argued. “Just let your… whatever, documents be documents, and get some rest, spend some time with other people! Plus, shouldn’t you know that exhaustion only makes you work less effectively?”

Obi-Wan stapled his fingers horizontally together, bringing them up to cover the lower portion of his face. His fringe fell before his face, throwing shadows over his expression as he looked up from underneath it to Anakin.

“You really think I don’t intimately know the consequences of overworking myself?” he said with a tone that in another person that wasn’t Obi-Wan, Anakin would have described as a growl. “You think I do this to myself because of what, masochism?”

Unused to the antagonism from his old master, Anakin’s hackles rose instinctively.

“Well, obviously,” he snapped. “Why else would you be doing this?”

“Sure. Everyone likes to drive themselves into an emotional breakdown just for the fun of it, not because there is no other way,” Obi-Wan deadpanned.

Anakin decided to ignore what seemed to be some very weird kind of honesty. “Which is why I’m telling you to rest! Let me take care of you!”

“Anakin, this isn’t you taking care of me,” Obi-Wan said, his voice cold. “This is you trying to order me around, ignorant of what exactly is going on, making assumptions and not bothering to actually communicate with me. You know that I am unwell and yet you are standing here with such a condescending attitude I’d have a hard time believing it if I wouldn’t be experiencing it right now.”

“I am here to help!” Anakin said, trying to keep from shouting. “You are the one who’s being ignorant and refusing to let yourself be helped!”

Obi-Wan was silent for a moment and Anakin felt the first breath of relief at finally having gotten through his former master’s thick head.

“So you want to help?” Obi-Wan murmured, not looking at Anakin, but at the pads strewn across the table.

“Yes,” Anakin said with a roll of his eyes.

“Very well,” Obi-Wan said. Anakin watched as he drew a long breath through his nose, his posture straightening up. Suddenly, the gloomy expression was replaced by an open smile, the corners of Obi-Wan’s eyes crinkling as he looked at Anakin. The change was so unexpected that Anakin felt the irrational urge to take a step back.

“Why, Anakin, that’s so nice of you!” Obi-Wan crooned.

The rapid reverse in the mood was enough to give Anakin emotional whiplash, and he stared uncomprehendingly as Obi-Wan got up, starting to grab pads lying on his desk. He pressed them into Anakin’s hands, who automatically grasped them as Obi-Wan began talking.

“This is the form for the new medical supplies we have to order, please check it over with Kix, make sure everything is in order, that needs to go out in three hours or we won’t get new ones for a tenday. This is an official letter from the Senate, requesting a statement to the most recent Outer Rim conflict. This is a letter I’ve already started that needs to go to Kamino regarding new troopers. This is one that needs to go to Coruscant to request new funds for weapons, this is a general briefing that needs to go to all other fleets about the new weapons the Separatists used in our last battle, ASAP, we don’t know when they’ll strike again. This is a report that needs to go to the news on Coruscant - please be polite in this one. This is an official letter from Tarkin asking why we sent his military officers away - I know it’s tempting, but please also be polite when answering this one. This is a 200 pages briefing from the Council on prospective new missions and campaigns, I think it’s about thirty in total, please read them all and tell me which one you think would be best before the meeting in-” he looked at his watch “-ah yes, two hours. Now that I think about it, you can do the council meeting too, right? Oh, and this is the mission report for the last mission we both went on, I know you usually skip them so you can - what did you say? ah yes - ‘learn more politics’ from Senator Amidala, but as you’ve been putting in so many hours maybe your ‘education’ can take a hit, yes?”

Anakin meanwhile was balancing a tower made from pads higher than his head. He was pretty sure Obi-Wan levitated the last few with the Force because there was no way he could reach that far. Obi-Wan actually had to walk around to his side so that he could see him again.

“Again, thank you so much Anakin, it’s so thoughtful of you to take some more responsibility for once!” he said, still wearing that sharp smile. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be getting that sleep you were talking about, you should be done with this in seven hours right? The Council meeting is set for an hour, but it usually runs three, so better hurry up and start now to get some headway! This is all very time-sensitive, so I implore you to not skip any of it.”

Obi-Wan turned around, and Anakin found his voice again.

“Wait!” he cried from behind the heavy stack of pads. “This isn’t what-“

“What you had in mind when you said you wanted to help me?”  Obi-Wan finished, inclining his head towards  Anakin. “Yes, I’m aware. Normally I wouldn’t ask this of you, because you have a padawan to take care of. Also usually there are more documents that explicitly require my signature, but that just on the side. In any case, for once I’m making an exception, after all you practically _demanded_ to help me, so who am I to deny you? Sorry that this isn’t as straightforward as forcibly shoving me into the nearest bed like you may have been fantasizing about.”

With that Obi-Wan turned around and walked out of the room, leaving a flabbergasted Anakin behind.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment!


End file.
